Established in 1959, the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers is Canada's only professional Ukrainian dance company. Shumka presents dance-theatre touring production, as well as intimate concert repertoire across the country and around the world. Seen by millions on international television broadcasts, the company has presented command performances for Queens, Prime Ministers, and Presidents, and have performed alongside the likes of Andrea Bocelli and Julie Andrews. Along with Alberta ballet and Edmonton Opera, Shumka is honoured to be a resident company of the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.

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Sixty years of performance history has shaped Shumka's signature music and dance style. While maintaining deep respect for heritage, Shumka continually challenges conventional boundaries to define the experience of Ukrainian dance in the context of today's society.

 

Shumka's most recent works: Kobzar, Ancestors & Elders and Mosquito's Wedding (All You Need is Love) debuted between 2016 and 2018, and a documentary of the Making of Ancestors & Elders is currently on Telus on Demand.

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Shumka is celebrating its 60th Anniversary in 2020 with numerous special events, public performances and a cross-Canada tour featuring Mosquito's Wedding and the new Echoes of Hopak.

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Part of Shumka's mandate is the creation of a centre of excellence in dance education to prepare the next generation of dancers in the art form. The Shumka School of Dance trains over 200 young dances using North America's only syllabus for Ukrainian dance, in addition to contemporary movement and RAD ballet instruction. Shumka also offers Ukrainian-dance and RAD-based fitness classes for seniors and adults.

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Shumka is based in the Shumka Dance Centre nestled between the Ice District and Brewery District of downtown Edmonton. For more information, visit shumka.com.